


every 14th of february

by elicx



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Harry Potter & Tom Riddle Attend Hogwarts Together, M/M, Sweet, The Golden Trio Era (Harry Potter), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine Prank Gifts, Valentines, a little bit of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:42:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elicx/pseuds/elicx
Summary: The crowd moved along the hallway. Groups of tiny first years flitting in between their taller schoolmates. Couples were holding hands in every other hidden alcove along the way while some were shamelessly snogging by the windows.Love was undoubtedly in the air if the many flying (quite ugly) cupids were any indication.It was Valentine’s Day.Harry means his very first gift but Tom doesn't.(aka the 5 Valentines that Tom thinks he really hates Harry and the last 2 where he realizes that maybe this strong feeling isn't hate after all.)
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43
Collections: Tomarrymort Valentines Exchange 2021





	every 14th of february

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shihane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shihane/gifts).



> I struggle with writing Tom alot so I'd like to apologize if he's a bit of out of character. Harry is a bit of a one-braincell-only kind of person here but isn't he always? I'm sorry in advance for any typos or misspellings I wrote most of this at 3am once I was done with academic work and work work so brain is very tired
> 
> Late Happy Valentines! This is for Shihane as part of the Tomarrymort Valentines Exchange 2021! I had lots of fun writing this and as soon as I read your first prompt this came into my head!

_February 14, 1991_

The crowd moved along the hallway. Groups of tiny first years flitting in between their taller schoolmates. Couples were holding hands in every other hidden alcove along the way while some were shamelessly snogging by the windows.

Love was undoubtedly in the air if the many flying (quite ugly) cupids were any indication.

It was Valentine’s Day.

Tom Marvolo Riddle skirted as far away as he can from two girls peppering each other’s faces with kisses. If you look closely, his carefully blank yet pleasant expression twitched in clear distaste at the giggles that came for the couple.

All the snogging and the chocolates and the _love_ in Hogwarts today made the young first-year rush as fast as he could through the hall. It was lunchtime but Merlin knew he was not going to walk into the Great Hall where red hearts floated in place of candles and giggling girls batted their eyelashes at unsuspecting boys. 

The Slytherin pushed past yet another couple that was annoyingly swinging their linked hands while walking. Caught up in sending a hidden scowl at the two, Tom didn’t see the cupid swoop down at him until it pulled at his robe.

“Tom? Tom Riddle”

The grating voice of the cupid asked him. Around him, students stopped to look at the tiny first year being accosted by the creature. Having heard about the Valentine delivery set up by their unusual headmaster, the crowd watched in amusement.

The young boy tried to shake the cupid free but his grip on his robe was tight. The surprisingly strong creature pulled him back and turned the boy around.

“You’re Tom Marvolo Riddle right? I’ve got a message for you.”

Tom’s eyes widened in alarm. “No, I-”

_“His eyes are brown like sweet dark chocolate_

_His hair is as dark as the sky when the night is late_

_I wish he was mine, he’s really divine_

_The boy who sits in the seat behind mine”_

The cupid winks at him before handing him a piece of parchment where a messy scrawl of words is written. There’s no signature to tell the eleven-year-old who it’s from but he knows this writing. He knows because he always ended up sitting behind the same person since he started Hogwarts.

A blush appears on his cheeks despite his best efforts against it.

“Ha! Look, the mudblood got a letter! Who’d like a dirty blooded firstie like you.”

Alecto Avery staggered towards the younger boy, a smirk on his face. A few giggles could be heard from the crowd as the older student plucked the parchment from Tom’s shaking hands.

“Probably wanted to get your hopes up that someone would like _you_ before putting you in your place,” Avery continued as more Slytherins slithered up around them.

“I don’t really care either way,” the first year replied, an indifferent expression plastered on his face.

“Poor wittle firstie, Tommy here thinks he’s so charming, right?”

More laughter from the watching crowd ensues and Tom tightens his grip on his bag at the humiliating nickname.

With a flick of his wand and a whispered spell, Avery sends the now crumpled paper out the window to the sound of even more laughter.

“See you around Tommy, you should be careful where you look with those eyes as brown as _shit from my ass._ ”

The laughing mockery of the poem tilts Tom’s world into anger. As the crowd moves on once again, content with their fill of amusement, Tom spots messy black hair and striking eyes wide with guilt.

They’ll pay for laughing at him. Alecto Avery, the Slytherins, and Harry _fucking_ Potter, the boy who sits in front of him.

_February 14, 1992_

There’s a gigantic heart cauldron in the middle of Snape’s classroom.

It’s a horrendous shade of red that stood out in the gloomy atmosphere that surrounded anything related to Potions. Ominous pink heart-shaped puffs rise from a shimmering white mixture in the cauldron 

Snape glares at it like he glares at anyone with the surname Potter.

Usually, the Potions classroom was the best (and worst) reprieve from anything related to love and public displays of affection. Especially on Valentine's Day when the professor would dole out detention to any couple that as much as looked at each other. I

Harry makes sure to sit somewhere near the back of the class. Not too far that the Potions master would accuse him of being inattentive and not too near that he’d easily be seen by the dour man. Not that it would matter today, judging by Snape’s face. Everyone was in for a harsh brewing.

The seat behind him moved and Harry resisted turning around to check who it was. 

Not that he still harboured a crush on the brown-eyed boy who used to sit behind him all the time until last Valentines. Harry personally thought his poem was well made, he even had asked Hermione for her opinion! Ron had sent a copy to her sister back at home too and Ginny had sent back a poem for him.

He assumed that meant she approved of his poem.

But when Tom had looked back at him with a blank expression on his face and a silent fury in his eyes, he knew that was a rejection. It was stupid really, just a stupid first-year crush. He’s twelve now and a bigger boy.

Professor Snape flapped his robes like a bat as the last of the students sat down and the class officially began.

“Unfortunately,” the man drawled in a disgusted tone. “Our esteemed Headmaster has convinced me to participate in this… Valentine's nonsense.”

He stalked around the cauldron, his robes skirting close to the flames under it.

“This is a potion brewed specially by a student for his Valentines gift.”

A sneer crossed his face at the word _Valentines_.

“The sender asked to remain anonymous. _Mr. Potter_ _would you come up front._ ”

The sudden severe change in the professor’s tone made a few students jump to attention. Harry sat straight in his seat at the sound of his name. At his side, Ron elbowed him and Hermione’s wide eyes implored him to go stand up without a fuss and do as the professor says.

“Me, sir?” Harry looked incredulously at the hooked-nose man.

“Do you see another Mr. Potter in this room?” Instead of intimidated, Harry ended up having to bite back a laugh as the man’s nostrils flared.

Harry stood up and walked cautiously forward. Sympathetic nods from his fellow Gryffindors and plain amusement from the Slytherins as he passed by them. Reaching the front, the boy edged towards the cauldron and took a small peek.

With a flourish, Professor Snape took a chocolate bar that had been inconspicuously soaking in the white and pink potion. With yet another sneer he held it out to Harry wrapped in red paper.

“Well? We don’t have all day. Happy Valentines from a secret admirer, Mr. Potter.” 

Harry reached up to take the chocolate. Despite feeling suspicious of the unusual potion, the boy couldn’t help but feel excited as he took hold of his first-ever valentines gift. Unbidden, a wide smile spread across his face and he looked excitedly at his professor.

Professor Snape’s indifferent glare did not phase him.

Harry took a tentative bite. Sweet chocolate spread in his mouth. As soon as he’d take a piece, the chocolate melted into pure bliss in his mouth. Harry let out a hum of appreciation before taking another bite.

The green-eyed boy was too consumed by the utterly heavenly taste of the chocolate that he didn’t notice as the laughter started.

Red hearts had started appearing on his skin. First on his cheeks and slowly red became pink and orange and yellow and soon enough, every inch of visible skin was covered in multi-coloured hearts.

“Nice tattoos Potter!” Malfoy shouted from his seat near the front. 

His cheeks warmed and a blush spread across his face, making the red coloured hearts disappear within the colour. The hearts shimmered and sparkled as he moved and giggles broke out as he turned too fast and left a multicolour blur of hearts.

“Professor Snape, may I go to the infirmary?” 

The boy turned pleading green eyes to his professor who simply smirked.

“I believe we're about to start class, take a seat.”

Glumly, Harry walked back to his seat. As he passed the boys leaned forward to poke a heart on his exposed skin. Back up front, Malfoy had started a joke about Harry having too many admirers that he had to have hearts on his skin as well.

Really, Harry thought, his first valentine and he can’t believe it was a prank. Who would put so much effort into this kind of thing?

As he sat on his seat, the smug tap tap tapping of a quill against a desk came from behind him. Harry sank lower into his seat as Hermione patted his shoulder consolingly and Ron asked if maybe he could have some chocolate.

At the edge of the chocolate bar, flowing cursive was etched into the surface

_“Enjoy your chocolate boy who sits in the seat in front of mine.”_

_February 14, 1993_

The smart-looking boy swept throughout the hallway, Slytherins following behind him. Tom Riddle smirked as Avery handed him a chocolate bar from Honeydukes and asked in a small voice if Tom would maybe be willing to help him with his Charms homework?

“Thank you, Avery, these look delicious,” Tom replied, purposely ignoring the older boy’s request.

A small first year in Hufflepuff colour ran up to him, a bouquet of flowers in her hand.

“Mr Tom Riddle sir? I was told to give these to you from a secret admirer.”

Tom smiled at the girl indulgently.

“Thank you for your help, go ahead and tell this secret admirer of mine that I love these.”

Tom took a moment to admire the flowers despite how useless these cut plants really were. There was a smattering of amaryllis, rue, and bird’s foot trefoil among a mass of yellow chrysanthemum and gladiolus flowers.

Despite how varied the flowers were, the arrangement was quite nice and pleasing. Tom leaned forward to take a small sniff-

- _hic-_

Tom’s eyes widened as he leaned as far away as he could from the sudden puff of pollen that came from the bouquet. 

“What-”

The boy cut himself off as his voice came out as a high-pitched squeak instead of his smooth accent. Turning to the surrounding Slytherins and glaring at them in suspicion, Tom’s eye caught on a piece of paper hanging from a single orange rose hidden beneath all the others.

_Sincerely,_

_When will you sit behind me again?_

The question made him frown as the image of messy black hair hunched over the table bloomed in his mind. Tom’s scowl effectively made the rest of his entourage take a step back. 

“Excuse me, I’ll have to go and _thank_ _them personally.”_

Despite the slightly threatening aura of his words, a few Slytherins held back giggles. Tom Riddle talked as if he had just sucked the air from a helium balloon. An embarrassed blush coloured his ears even as he pretended everything was fine.

At the other end of the hall, green eyes twisted with mirth. Harry Potter laughed outright as he held his own orange rose.

_February 14, 1994_

Harry squinted at the moving dot. Tom Riddle had been acting suspiciously the past months, always cooped up in the library and searching for books in every spare moment he had.

Well… He was always in the library in every spare moment he had since his first year but that’s not the point.

The point is it was Valentine’s Day today and Riddle was being shady as always. 

His _followers_ flitted around the tall black-haired boy (his height had shot up the past year and Harry stayed annoyingly tiny in comparison). The Malfoys, Draco and his older brother Lucius would drift close then rush back to the shelves. Avery stayed lingering a few steps away from Riddle and Bellatrix Lestrange would alternate from practically being on top of Riddle’s dot to circling around him.

It was infuriating watching this happen on the map.

How could Riddle even study with all those people moving around? Especially with Lestrange climbing all over him? He just couldn’t understand it.

Harry sighs, the haughty Slytherin’s study habits didn’t matter as long as he stayed in the library and Harry can experience a happy prank gift-free Valentines. If Riddle was busy in the library that meant there would be no payback from last year’s helium bouquet.

“Mischief managed,” Harry whispered, watching the map become a clean blank slate before stuffing it back into his bag. He’d snuck into an old classroom to keep an eye out on Riddle and it seemed like he could relax for the rest of the day.

Time to go grab some lunch and make sure to get a handful of those delicious candy roses in the Great Hall before everything ran out. Sucks to be Riddle to miss out on those. Maybe he could charm some of the candies to turn his hair pink or something for next year?

Harry ran into Hermione and Ron who were arguing on something or the other just as he stepped off the large step of the grand staircase. Footsteps and low murmurs piqued his attention and the green-eyed boy turned to glance behind him.

_Riddle._

Harry looked around in alarm, trying to spot whatever the sneaky Slytherin was trying to do. Not finding a single clue, Harry turned back to glare at the boy only to freeze as the brown met green.

One side of the other’s lips curled into a smug smile, his eyes intent on Harry.

Harry suppressed a shiver and instead fixed his eyes on the opening of the Great Hall in front of them. His eyes widened. _Oh._ That’s what was up. His own smirk curved on his lips as he let a wordless, minuscule flick of his wand to tear a tiny hole in his bad. In the next second, his quills fell out of the tiny tear and he held out his hand to stop both Ron and Hermione from stepping over the threshold.

“Oh wait, I think my bag ripped.”

Harry glanced up at the group of Slytherins that moved to walk past them. A pleasant smile was on Riddle’s lips as he stopped and collectively, the rest of the group paused in their steps as well.

“Here, let me help, _Harry._ ”

Harry plastered on his own fake smile, a very obvious one at that and gave a nod of appreciation (also fake).

“It’s alright, wouldn’t want to make you any more late for lunch in the _Great Hall,_ right?”

At Harry’s emphasis on the Great Hall, both glanced into the open hall where heart clouds floated around as per usual on this day. 

_Ha_ , take that Riddle. He probably thinks Harry was too obtuse to realize the fact that the Slytherins had made sure to trail behind the trio before entering the Hall despite Riddle’s fondness for grand entrances. He did, after all, do the entire spellwork for the bouquet himself last year and he already had a few ideas what to do for the next Valentines.

A slow smile, this one more satisfied than entirely fake spread across Riddle’s pale face.

“If you insist. Come on Slytherins, it wouldn't be too late for the lunch banquet, we’ll run out of candy roses.” 

Harry stayed crouched low over his quills as he watched the other group of fourth years walk through the threshold without further ado. Riddle looked back and had the audacity to send a mocking smile his way.

And he really thought it was the doors this time.

“What’s up with you two?” Ron asked, elbowing Harry from his thoughts.

“Ah, it’s just that he hasn’t gotten revenge for that helium bouquet I sent him last year. Just a little bit cautious, he’s an asshole,” Harry says, scowling at his torn bag that had been wounded in vain.

“I guess he matured enough to stop that silly Valentines war of yours, Harry,” Hermione said as she straightened up, quills in hand. “He’s aiming to be picked as prefect next year, and you’d have a chance too if you tried.”

Harry bumped his elbow into hers as they stepped past the doors. All of a sudden a shower of petals fell over them. Pink, red and orange, the cascade of flower petals kept going.

In the background, the sound of the starting chords of some love song could be heard. Harry thinks it might be Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley but surely a Slytherin like Tom wouldn’t play muggle songs.

Harry steps out of the shower of petals to the laughter of amused students. He raises an arm to brush off the petals on his head only to find them quite literally stuck to him. Scowling, the fourth year pats his robes but they stay covered in different shades of red. The only petal free part of him now was his face.

The green-eyed boy swivelled around to glare at the Slytherins table. There, Riddle meets his eyes with a smirk before calmly continuing lunch as if there wasn’t a petal covered boy in the middle of the Great Hall. 

Around him the laughter swells as he jumps around, looking like a fish out of water trying to get any of the flowers off him. Hermione and Ron successfully shake them off and smile in amusement as Harry stays completely covered.

“There’s your gift, mate,” Ron says, holding back his own laughter. Hermione simply smiles in amusement.

The petals don’t come off till the end of the day and Harry smells like flowers for weeks.

_February 14, 1995_

“All right students, settle down.”

Professor Lupin stands in front of the fifth year DADA class of Slytherins and Gryffindors, effectively catching their attention in a few short words. Tom looks on approvingly as even the clingiest of couples turn their attention away from their significant others to listen to their DADA professor.

“Today I want to discuss with you the different coercion and mind-manipulation spells and how to counter them as much as you can.”

There was a reason this class was one of his favourites despite excelling in all subjects. DADA was closest to the Dark Arts that he could study in public and a professor such as Lupin meant that the class didn’t shy away from the darker, gruesome topics of the subject.

Five seats away from him, there’s a commotion and a hand rises up catching the professor’s attention. And of course, the source of trouble is Harry Potter.

Tom’s completely aware of what day it is today and he knows sooner or later a gift would end up finding its way to him. He’d been careful when accepting gifts from admirers. He couldn’t turn away gifts, after all, he was the Heir of Slytherin and doing so would be incredibly rude. Either way, he was confident that whatever it would be, the genius would easily find a way to reverse it.

“Yes, Harry?” The professor asks and Tom remembers now why he also hated this class as much as it was his favourite.

“Before we start I’d like to give something to a special someone, sir,” Potter replies, flicking his wand to enlarge a tiny gift box he’d been holding on to. The box triples in size until it was half as big as the teenager.

“Ah, Valentines. Please do make it quick.”

Potter smiles at his uncle before turning to give him a big mischievous smile. 

“Riddle, Happy Valentines.”

Tom didn’t know how it was possible for the other boy’s smile to become even more obnoxiously mischievous. The Slytherin plastered a fake smile on his face. It was smart of the Gryffindor to do this now in a class where the professor favours him and Tom would surely be forced to accept the gift.

“Thank you,” Tom replies in a flat tone, taking the box into his hands.

Around them, students whisper and giggle, by now, well aware of their Valentines gift war. 

“Aren’t you going to open it, _Tom?_ ” Potter asks, a pointed tone in his voice.

“Yeah Riddle, we want to see what Harry got you!” The students around them cheer, obviously anticipating the prank.

Reluctantly, Tom pulls the ribbon off the box, a charming smile still on his face. Lifting the top, he jumps back in surprise as a large stuffed toy snake jumps out and coils around him, winding around his neck and chest. The snake is dark green and Tom, for a moment, thinks that this wasn’t so bad of a gift before he takes a look at its eyes.

Large comical heart eyes peer up at him, out of place and giving the snake the air of an over-the-top sappy Valentines gift. Tom hates it instantly.

The brown-eyed boy tries to pull it off only for it to coil around him even more. Then the hissing started. 

_“Sssssnakey lovessssss you.”_

The students burst into laughter.

It wasn’t even actual hissing which Tom would completely understand. Instead, the snake let out English words with an elongated _s_ in an attempt to mimic parseltongue. Tom cringes and in a moment of weakness, let the moment of shock melt away his mask. 

“Thank you, _Harry._ I didn’t know you like snakes,” Tom replies, the glare in his eyes hidden by a polite smile even as the snake continues to coil around him and settle on his hair.

The day goes on like this, with a snake in his hair and any attempts to remove it failing. Unsticking charms, cancelling spells and physical removal all prove useless throughout the day. Tom had to admit that this was well done, no matter how humiliating it was.

Tom walks around, a dark green stuffed snake making heart eyes at everyone around him perched on his usually neat hair.

This is how Tom looks when he hears voices in the corridor up ahead.

“Harry, please accept this.”

The Slytherin stops before he is seen, leaning against a pillar to hide. He peeks out and sees an older Hufflepuff holding Harry Potter’s hands.

The Hufflepuff is Cedric Diggory. The older boy is a seek, like Potter, lean and strong and well-liked among his peers. He grasps Harry’s hands and a tiny box is passed from Diggory’s hands to Potter’s.

Tom watches as Potter slowly opens the box and gasps.

“I-, _Cedric-_ ”

“I know, but I just want you to know that I- well I think you’re pretty awesome and if you ever find yourself willing to look at someone else, I’m here.”

There’s something coiling in Tom’s chest at the scene. The two are holding hands and Harry is looking up at Diggory with a little bit of wonder and Diggory is looking back with something that nauseatingly looks close to something more than platonic affection. 

Tom risks a move closer, trying to see what exactly it was in the box. Harry shifts a little bit and Tom sees it.

The brown-eyed boy takes a step back. This was ridiculous, only Tom had given Harry Valentines gifts for the past 5 years and of all the gifts he receives on the day, it was Harry’s that always gets a reaction from him.

He’s always seen the other boy as someone to rise above. The youngest seeker who so easily aced half his classes (that matter the most) and failed in the other half (which also matters, honestly, but Tom knows the other plans to be an Auror and History of Magic didn’t really have any purpose in Auror work).

In between every 14th of February, there is the teasing cheer that Harry greets Tom with every time. A sly smirk here and there and the victorious grin every time he comes out with a higher grade in DADA that the Slytherin. The black messy hair that somehow works and the occasional moments when they find themselves in step with each other, friendly banter on Harry’s lips.

In the shadows, Tom pauses, looking at the dark green scales of his stuffed toy snake. The heart eyes still look incredibly comical but the hissing had dropped to a soft, comforting background noise by now. In the quiet of his hiding spot, he takes a shaky breath and turns around. Tom walks away from the scene, one hand holding on to the comforting softness of his gift and the other hand gripping a wand that is sparking from his want to curse. His mind whirls around the memory of the box and it’s contents.

Inside it was a beautiful necklace, a snitch hanging on its end. Beautiful, simple and tying the two seekers together.

_February 14, 1996_

Harry paces. He’s not scared, it’s not that.

It was nearing half past 11 in the evening now, way past the 10 o’clock curfew for the higher years and there hasn't been a single peep of a gift from Tom. 

Harry knows it’s silly. They’re both sixth-year students now, not the age to be sending revenge gifts. And Riddle definitely wasn’t the type to keep doing so despite their 5 years long Valentines exchange.

But it seemed weird to stop doing it now. They only had 2 years left and he chose now to stop? That was unusual, maybe something was wrong.

Maybe he was wrong about the tiny flicker of amusement and air of anticipation that hung around the Slytherin boy every February 14. Maybe it wasn’t the gifts after all.

Maybe he was planning some kind of bid for power. It was an open secret after all of Riddle’s heritage as a Slytherin. Perhaps the heir was planning to find the Chamber of Secrets to unleash whatever deadly beast was inside on muggle-borns.

Harry should check the map.

A minute later and Harry was whispering a quiet _“I solemnly swear I am up to no good”_ to the blank piece of paper. Ink blooms across the pages and the map of Hogwarts proudly displays its many rooms, halls and occupants.

Harry skims through the map, first looking at the many dots clustered in the Slytherin common room. No cursive _Tom Marvolo Riddle_ appeared in the small space.

He knew it! Riddle was up to something, probably planning a last minute valentines gift. He spots the dot circling around by itself up in the Astronomy Tower and contemplates.

He should check it out.

It takes Harry 5 minutes to find his usual casual robes and another 15 to get to the Astronomy Tower under his cloak and the map in hand. Despite the 20 minutes between then and now, Riddle’s dot still paces in the circular room which is the top of the Astronomy Tower.

Harry stays in the shadows, watching the silhouette of Tom Riddle walk around the room illuminated by the moonlight. 

“Harry,” Tom says.

It jolts Harry out of his position under the cloak and the shimmering cloth slides off his shoulders.

He should’ve known that Tom would know he was there. After the many times that he had kept quiet company under the cloak as Tom made his prefect rounds in the past year has proven that.

“It’s February 14,” Harry says.

“I know,” is Tom’s simple reply. “You’re breaking curfew, Potter.”

Harry cracks a grin.

“If I’d known you were going to skip a year I would’ve stepped up to give you a gift you know. I have a lot of ideas for my final gift next year,” Harry’s tone is playful as always. 

“Maybe a parchment of paper that recites porn,” the boy muses jokingly, looking like he was seriously considering taking the last 5 minutes of the holiday to create a gift for Tom.

The Gryffindor leans against the wall, looking out at the open night sky and the minutes tick closer to the end of Valentines. It’s a nice clear night with a lot of stars visible, a good night for Astronomy if there was a class ongoing.

“Who said I forgot anything, darling?”

Tom’s voice startles him. The deep, casual tone comes from right beside him and he turns toward its source. Tom stands there, leaning over him with his height, his trademark charming smile on his face.

And there in his hands are three things. A bouquet, a box of chocolates and a ribboned box.

He strikes a cutting figure in the moonlit room, black and green-trimmed robe draped around his shoulders fluttering around in the wind. The white dress shirt he wears underneath is smooth and clean, the first two buttons open showing pale skin. His slacks are without creases even from the whole day of class and the double Potions he knows the Slytherins have because the Gryffindors always have Potions with them.

Long fingers hold the gifts out to him.

_He’s beautiful._

The thought is quickly squashed away. Harry blinks his head to dispel the spell the image of Tom Riddle under the moonlight from his mind. The green-eyed boy has always been aware of Riddle’s charm, after all his first gift had never been a prank.

But here, 5 years later, Harry jolts as he realizes the thought has not changed at all in the past years of rivalry and continuously humiliating Valentines gifts. He thinks of the flourish that Tom aces every test and the accompanying victorious grin always sent his way when they share a class. A moment of the real Tom between the modest mask he sometimes wears and the powerful heir he parades around as.

Harry thinks of the gifts, the first sweet and delicious chocolate that he had finished despite the hearts that appeared on his skin. Of the shower of petals and Tom’s smug grin as the petals refused to fall off. 

_Orange roses_ he thinks which he’d found as a twelve-year-old to mean fascination. Now 5 years later he thinks of its other meanings, _desire and passion_ and the possibility of _blooming love_.

Orange roses which are placed in the middle of the bouquet. Around it is a collection of rues, ferns, purple hyacinths and zinnias. The unusual medley of colours somehow works.

The smile on Harry’s face blooms as bright as the flowers being given to him.

“So what does this do? Make flowers grow in my hair?”

“Nothing,” Tom replies.

Harry takes the bouquet, chocolates, and piece of parchment carefully and simply holds them. Somewhere, a bell rings, signifying the end of the day. Valentines is over.

Harry opens the box and there, nestled in the soft fabric is a locket.

When Harry looks up, Tom is gone and the gifts in his hands are all very very normal and yet very very special.

A real Valentines gift.

_February 14, 1997_

“ _There is a Riddle that bounces around my head_

_I’m afraid for the day it reaches my heart_

_Where it will surely make its bed_

_And carve a piece and take a part_

_Flowers and chocolate, poems and toys_

_These are the things that have made me rejoice_

_This is the last Valentines we spend in the sprawling castle halls_

_But there are many more days to be had with my riddle out of these walls_

_Tom Riddle, would you be my valentine?”_

The writing is large and sparkling, and Tom sees it as soon as he steps into the Great Hall for breakfast. It’s dark green in colour with silver accents, shining brightly above the teacher’s table. The usual red hearts that adorn the hall every 14th of February are replaced with orange roses that clash with the green but nevertheless, Tom appreciates the sight.

Underneath, sitting on the teachers’ long table (suspiciously absent of teachers) is Harry who stands up with a flourish and a bow towards him. 

The green-eyes of the boy is full of something that Tom is half scared to name and half excited. His red-trimmed robes flow of his lithe but strong form and black messy hair frames his face. Peeking underneath his fringe is a lightning bolt scar that Tom knows came from his wand 3 years ago in a vicious DADA duel in which Harry still came out victorious. The chain of a familiar locket peeks out from under his shirt and Tom is filled with something he’s scared to name.

This strong, charming, lively young man stands in front of him and there is a box in his hands.

Tom walks forward, his robes billowing behind him in a way that only a Slytherin can do. He reaches a hand towards Harry who takes it and hops down. Harry turns to him and opens the box.

Inside lies two simple rings. One has a coiled dragon, the other, a slithering snake.

“Would you answer my question?” Harry asks quietly.

The hall is full of people but it is silent and waiting. The Slytherins look somewhere between outraged and charmed, the Gryffindors look unsurprised. A collective look that says _finally_ is written on the face of the rest of the students around them.

“Can I ask you one first?”

Tom picks up the dragon. It moves in his grip, wings stretching and nuzzling into his palm. It feels like the fast winds of a quidditch match, the warmth of a well-lit fire and the silent companionship on the darkest of nights. It feels inexplicably like Harry. 

“When did the gifts become real for you?”

He thinks of the very first poem, the one about his eyes and hair that the students around them have once laughed at, except the one person who had given it to him. 

Harry blushes and answers. “Since the first Valentines.”

The young man in front of him has always meant it. Each and every gift.

The bouquet that was full of meaningful flowers, the stuffed toy snake that had brought him comfort and the two poems.

The Slytherin takes the snake ring as well, and within the next few seconds, he fills it with his own magic. 

Tom leans forward and kisses Harry, one hand on his back, the other deftly slips the snake ring onto his finger where it coils and winds around Harry’s pinky. It’s not a promise of forever but a promise of trying, of loving him whether he gives him cursed roses or a bad poem.

Applause and wolf whistles echo throughout the hall, a stark contrast to their first Valentines that had been surrounded with laughter.

Tom smiles into the kiss, a real genuine smile and he feels, at that moment, that he wouldn’t care if they laughed because it was Valentines and people would be sappy and clingy with public displays of affection everywhere.

It was Tom Riddle’s last Valentines in the castle, but in his future, there are many many more with Harry Potter.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it! Tom is a bit stupid at love despite being really really charming and manipulative and Harry makes horrible poems tbh.
> 
> Flower meanings:
> 
> Harry’s:  
> Amaryllis - pride, “I find you beautiful”  
> Yellow Chrysanthemum - slighted love  
> Gladiolus - Give me a break… I’m really sincere  
> Bird’s Foot Trefoil - Revenge  
> Orange rose - fascination and pride, desire and passion and fierce love
> 
> Tom’s:  
> Fern - sincerity, humility, love  
> Purple Hyacinth - sorrow and forgive me  
> Rue - clear vision  
> Orange Rose - fascination and pride, desire and passion and fierce love  
> Pink Zinnia - long lasting affection


End file.
